Wedding at Burncoose House, Cornwall

A dating app success story, Tinder brought Rhiannon and Ben together, leading to a romantic proposal in a stunningly beautiful corner of the Cornish coastline in 2021. “I had an inkling of what was happening as he wanted to go for a walk in our favourite place at Chapel Porth, St Agnes – a place that I had always said if he were ever going to propose, it would be there!” laughs Rhiannon.

Embracing Cornish beauty spots for their summer wedding, the couple opted for a ceremony at the open-air amphitheatre of Gwennap Pit followed by a marquee reception at Burncoose House and photos on the clifftops of St Agnes.

“I love warm tones, so chose a burnt orange colour as the basis of the theme,” says Rhiannon of the colour scheme the couple opted for. “I didn’t want the day to be too refined so I incorporated lots of natural dried flowers and pampas to give it a more boho feel. One of my best friends did our flowers; she is incredibly talented.”

Getting married at Gwennap Pit meant a lot to Rhiannon and Ben. “It’s a very beautiful spot; the ceremony took place down in the heart of the ‘pit’ where I had to come down the steps to meet Ben (all whilst trying not to break my neck!),” says Rhiannon who cites the arrival as her most memorable part of the day. “As cliché as it might be, seeing Ben at the end of our makeshift aisle was one of my favourite moments!”

After the ceremony, the couple were transported in an MGA, which had been Ben’s dad’s present to his mum when they got married. "It needed restoring, which Ben’s brother and father-in-law-to-be lovingly did for us to use for the day,” says Rhiannon.

Arriving at Burnoose House to a sun-drenched drinks reception and live acoustic music, the guests settled in the vibrantly styled marquee for the wedding feast. “We chose a sharing menu as we loved the idea of the food being sociable,” says Ben of their Middle Eastern starter, beef brisket main and Cornish Mess dessert. The evening was kicked off with the cutting of the cake and the first dance to Everywhere by Fleetwood Mac; guests then filled the floor for a set by The Busketeers.

“We both genuinely had the best day of our lives with everyone we love around us!” says Rhiannon, looking back. “We were so lucky with the weather; I loved that we could have the whole day outside in the sunshine!”

Her top planning tips are as practical as they are pertinent. “Try to get as much as you can done as soon as you can, so you can relax and enjoy the build-up,” she says. “Also, if there is an element that is paramount for you both, get that booked in as soon as possible. We were amazed at how far in advance things get booked up! Finally, create a separate wedding email – it’s super helpful to have everything in one place.”